KOCHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation, the nation’s prime investigating agency, will have a brand new identity soon. For the first time, the CBI officials will adorn uniforms while on investigation duty. The officials will have navy blue jacket with CBI mark on it and a cap. The pants would be plain as usual with individual choice. The dress is meant to be used only when they go for search and investigative purpose, a CBI official said. A circular in this regard will be sent to all the CBI units across the country and the new dress code will be enforced within three months, he said.
Former CBI director D R Karthikayan said it would be a welcome move as the CBI requires some dress code during the search and investigation, but he knows little about the new plan. “There were many cases in which frauds forging CBI identity cards conducted raids and demanded bribe. Even though the anonymity of the CBI person would be revealed by such move, fraudulent activities in the name of CBI would not happen if a dress code comes,” Karthikayen said.
At present, the CBI officials have no specific dress code and have the liberty to wear plain clothes while on duty. However, they are instructed to wear formal dresses on ceremonial occasions.
The IPS officials and state officials on deputation to the CBI can go with their uniform.
The directorate of CBI took the decision only after a High Court direction that investigative agencies should have a proper dress code.
“Earlier, when the CBI was formed in 1941, the cases that they dealt with mostly were concerned with bribery and corruption involving Central Government employees. Later, it was entrusted with economic offence and major crimes like murder, kidnapping and terrorist crimes on a selective basis.
Since other agencies like the NIA and state police have a dress code, the CBI has also been asked to have a dress code to maintain the officials’ identity,” an official said.